56-year-old chestnut grove, one of America’s last, at risk from AI data center

In West Virginia, plans for a new data center, the Monarch Compute Campus, could mean the removal of around 200 blight-resistant American chestnut trees. Planted in the 1970s, these trees are vital for future restoration projects. Conservationists express concern over the potential loss of this endangered genetic resource, making its fate precarious amidst development considerations and the push for sustainability.